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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!rochester!ritcv!mjl
From: mjl@ritcv.UUCP (Mike Lutz)
Newsgroups: net.cog-eng
Subject: Re: A good human-factored user interface for postnews
Message-ID: <702@ritcv.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 26-Oct-83 10:13:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: ritcv.702
Posted: Wed Oct 26 10:13:43 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Oct-83 20:58:51 EDT
References: machaids.641
Lines: 21

In general, I agree that the newsgroup should indicate a class of information
(general, wanted, unix-wizards, etc.) and that the distribution should be used
to decide how far an item goes.  There are problems with this, however, due to
the topology of USENET.

For instance, it would be nice to have an 'ny' distribution for New York State
(we currently have 'wny' for Western New York).  The problem is that our main
news feed into the region is 'seismo', and I doubt they are at all interested
in what happens in New York.  On the other hand, they are essentially the only
route we currently have to the net-at-large.  Things only get worse when I
want to post something to another area like Florida (maybe I want to buy a
condo in Miami).  Right now I have to distribute to the smallest "super-area"
which includes both my region and the region of interest.  Almost invariably
this is net.

Perhaps cog-eng is not the appropriate place to bring up such concerns.  On
the other hand, it does demonstrate that even the best interface package often
has to deal with limitations beyond its control.

Mike Lutz
{allegra,seismo}!rochester!ritcv!mjl